Sunday, October 16, 2011

Police in Toronto and Vancouver are concerned over a possible repeat of violence and vandalism as economic activists have expanded their protests to Canadian financial districts.

There was extensive vandalism in G20 summit protests in Toronto last year and in Vancouver in June during the final game of the National Hockey League playoffs.

The latest protests across Canada are part of the global initiative spawned by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Demonstrators were gathering outside the Toronto Stock Exchange and Bank of Canada offices this weekend and plan to remain there for an indefinite period.

Organizers called for an “entirely non-violent” protest against corporate greed and the growing gulf between the rich and the poor.

The Occupy Toronto group said it stands “in unity with the rest of the world to seek and work towards drastic changes to economic systems that are destroying our economy, social fiber and environment.”

Other protests are taking place in Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and other Canadian cities.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Will the proverb “good fences make good neighbors” hold true if Canada is someday fenced off from the United States?

That’s what Canadian politicians and others are wondering after a leaked report said an option to boost security along the 3,976-mile land border with Canada is to build a fence.

Gary Doer, Canada’s ambassador in Washington, said despite the report there is “no indication” it will happen.

The draft document for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency suggests using “fencing and other barriers” to manage “trouble spots where passage of cross-border violators is difficult to control.”

Other options are increased use of radar, sensors, cameras, drones and vehicle scanners along with improved or expanded facilities at ports of entry.

The Canada Border Services Agency said the fence option hasn’t been part of discussions on ways to improve border management.

“It is in the interests of both Canada and the United States to ensure that the border remains open, efficient and secure,” it said in a statement.

A fence along the world’s longest undefended border is “stupid,” said New Democratic politician Joe Comartin.

“The American people don’t see us as a threat,” he said.

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A report says climate change will cost Canada about $5 billion a year by 2020 and up to as much as $43 billion by the 2050s.

The National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy said that increasing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide will “exert a growing economic impact.”

The study looked at impacts of warmer weather that would affect the timber industry with more pests and forest fires, flooding with changes in sea levels and human health.

Roundtable president David McLaughlin said the conclusion is the longer the effects of climate change are ignored, the costlier they become.

Environment Minister Peter Kent said the government plans to “meet our target of reducing greenhouse gases by 17 percent from the 2005 base level by 2020.”